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Football is a game of misdirection, bluffing and disguise. That goes double for the NFL draft, which takes place April 30 to May 2 in Chicago, the first time it has been held outside New York City since 1965. Much will change during the next month as teams continue to evaluate players and as information — and misinformation — spreads throughout the league. "It's the silly season," Philadelphia Eagles Coach Chip Kelly said at the NFL owners meetings this week. "The NFL draft hype is the craziest thing in the world. Guys are going to go up, guys are going to go down. [People said] Cam Newton couldn't play: 'There's no reason to draft him...

Related "Ken Whisenhunt" Articles

Football is a game of misdirection, bluffing and disguise.
That goes double for the NFL draft, which takes place April 30 to May 2 in Chicago, the first time it has been held outside New York City since 1965.
Much will change during the next month as...

PHOENIX Jake Locker's surprising decision to retire was so well-hidden that the man who was his last NFL coach, Ken Whisenhunt, didn't know about it until the minute it was announced. "Same time you guys did," Whisenhunt, the coach of the...

PHOENIX Coach Mike Tomlin would not say Monday whether Troy Polamalu fits into the Steelers' plans for the 2015 season, another sign that the eight-time Pro Bowl safety might not have a future with the franchise. "I'm not getting into...

Quarterback Jake Locker has retired from football rather than hit free agency after four NFL seasons with the Tennessee Titans, saying he no longer has the "burning desire" needed to keep playing the game for a living. Locker wrote Tuesday in...

Martellus Bennett didn't mince words Friday when asked about former Chicago Bears coach Marc Trestman, the Ravens' new offensive coordinator.
During an NFL Network appearance, the Bears' Pro Bowl tight end made it clear that he believes Trestman...

Perhaps everything you would need to know about Dan Quinn as a defensive mind surfaced last February in a three-hour, 23-minute tutorial.
On the NFL's grandest stage, against one of the most prolific offenses the league ever had seen, Quinn unleashed...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have hired Dick LeBeau as their assistant head coach in charge of defense, pairing the Hall of Fame player and veteran coach with Ray Horton.The Titans announced the hiring Thursday. Mike Mularkey also has been...

Jay Feely was a Bear for a month and figured it out: Jay Cutler isn’t a leader and can’t grow into it.
“I don’t think so,’’ Feely said Wednesday on Sirius XM radio. “Not as a leader. That’s not who he is. You’re going to have a vacuum there. So you...

The Jay Cutler question isn't how much the Bears have invested in his contract already, it’s how soon they want to get out of the rest of it.
Cutler’s deal isn’t like the Brandon Marshall question. The Bears could cut Marshall and save millions, and they...

MOBILE, Ala. — The NFL draft's quarterback pecking order beyond Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota might not have gotten much clearer at the Senior Bowl. Baylor's Bryce Petty and Oregon State's Sean Mannion were among those trying to make headway leading...

Nick Marshall excelled at Auburn, reaching the national championship game as their starting quarterback two years ago.
In order to make it to the NFL, though, Marshall has embraced a return to his roots as a defensive back.
Marshall shifted to...

The Ravens moved quickly to fill their offensive coordinator vacancy, replacing Gary Kubiak with Marc Trestman, another former NFL head coach with a reputation for getting the most out of quarterbacks.
Trestman, who will become the Ravens' fourth...

Last week in parentheses.
1. Patriots 7-2 (2): Manhandling of Broncos could have implications in January and help gain home-field advantage in playoffs.
2. Cardinals 7-1 (3): They own the best record in the NFC in November for the first time since...

After benching Jay Cutler this week, the Bears seem to have little choice but to trade or cut him after this season, although he says his goal is to remain with the team.
Trading Cutler would be the only way to avoid owing him the majority of $15.5...

For a team that couldn't afford any missteps in the rebuilding of its offensive line, going from an established veteran at right tackle to an unproven second-year player seemed like a huge risk.
Though he was much-maligned by fans, Michael Oher started...

Last week in parentheses.
1. Seahawks 3-1 (1): Won for the ninth consecutive time on "Monday Night Football" at Washington but offensive line really struggled.
2. Broncos 3-1 (2): Running game becomes a bit of a question with groin injury...

To Ben Roethlisberger, the no-huddle is a no-brainer.The Steelers' second-half resurgence in 2013 coincided with them regularly implementing the no-huddle offense, which allows Roethlisberger to execute plays in a rhythmic yet rat-a-tat style and limits...

New England Patriots
2013: 12-4, first.
Last in playoffs: 2013.
They're going all the way: TE Rob Gronkowski is (almost) back — he's still favoring his recovering right knee and is said to be 50-50 for the opener against the Dolphins. Regardless, Tom...

The Times’ NFL writer, Sam Farmer, examines this week’s matchups. Lines according to Glantz-Culver (O/U = over/under). Farmer’s record last year was 159-96-1 (.624). Using point spreads with the scores Farmer predicted, the record against the spread...